Sitting in endless traffic is more than just a nuisance for your drivers, inefficient transport and planning can have long-term impacts on your business. That's why you need a service dispatch software tool that can help you manage, streamline, and automate your field service operations, plan better routes and help communicate with customers.
Tradify is your all-in-one job management app. You can try it FREE for 14 days!
Low on time? Skip ahead!
- What is service dispatch software?
- How service dispatch software works
- The 4 best service dispatch software for 2024
- The importance and benefits of service dispatch software for service businesses
- What to look for in a service dispatch software
- Who should use dispatch management software?
1. What is service dispatch software?
Running a service business can be full-on between managing your workers, schedule, subcontractors, jobs and marketing and the day-to-day demands of your trade. Service dispatch software is any software that allows businesses to track, manage and organise business operations for field workers.
These programs allow you to create and manage your team's schedules, communicate with them and customers, manage individual sites, and generate reports. It can be an invaluable tool for streamlining operations, particularly with multiple people performing on-site services, by tracking their location and status. By tracking all your digital work orders, you can ensure you capture the important details and can access them, even when on the move.
2. How service dispatch software works
Service dispatch software is a tool that links your office team, field personnel, and clients using a cloud-based system accessible from any device.
Here's a typical workflow of how this software functions:
-
A customer contacts you through your website, phone, email, or other channels and makes a service request (e.g. fixing a plumbing issue, wiring new electronics, installing a new HVAC unit, or doing some landscaping).
-
The software generates a work order containing essential details like the client's information, job location, contact number, type of service needed, priority level, and any special notes.
-
You can then allocate this work order to an appropriate technician based on their availability, skill set, location, or other factors. The technician receives this work order on their mobile app.
-
The field worker accepts the job and uses the app's GPS and route optimisation tools to navigate the best route to the client's site.
-
Both you and the client have the option to stay informed with real-time updates on the technician's whereabouts and estimated arrival time.
-
After completing the task, the technician updates the job status in the app, adding any relevant notes or photographs of the completed work.
-
An invoice is then created by the software and forwarded to the client via email or SMS, with options for both online and offline payment.
-
Finally, the software compiles reports and analytics from the collected work order data.
3. The 4 best service dispatch software providers
With so many options for service dispatch software providers, we’ve reviewed the top options and rated their features.
#1 Tradify — Best all-rounder for trades & service businesses
Tradify is a job management software specifically designed for trades and service businesses. Tradify helps trade businesses and contractors manage their inquiries, quotes, job scheduling, tracking, invoicing, and payments.
Features
Some of Tradify's key features include:
- Estimates & Quoting
- Customer Inquiry Management
- Staff Scheduling
- Invoicing
- Timesheets
- Field Service Management
- Subcontractor Management
- Purchase Orders
- Job Costing
- Real-time map view of active jobs and staff locations.
- Streamline communication between field technicians and the office.
- Digitally record costs and inventory.
- Integration with Google Calendar, Stripe, and accounting software like Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, and MYOB.
Pricing
Tradify is FREE for your first 14 days! There are also no extra fees for account setup, training, or customer service. Sign up and create an unlimited number of jobs, invoices, quotes, and estimates. Extra charges apply for features like SMS reminders & Instant Website.
#2. Route4Me — Best for route planning and optimisation
A dedicated route planning tool, Route4Me boasts the world's fastest and most used dynamic route optimisation software, specifically designed to support growing vehicle fleets.
Features
Route4Me features include:
- Routing
- Automatically sets the best single or multi-person routes
- Factors in set business rules in route optimisation
- Has an available option to let your team plan their routes
- Business Insights & Intelligence
- Dashboards & analytics
- Dashboards & analytics
- Mobility & Collaboration
- Mobile app access
- Integrated voice-guided navigation
- Connectivity & Automation
- Import data and connect to 1,000+ systems
- Access their marketplace
- Data export and data audits
Pricing
Route4Me offers multiple packages, starting at $199/mo for standard route management and going up to $349/mo for Route Optimisation Plus.
#3. FieldEdge - Best for large American fleets
FieldEdge supports expanding businesses to optimise their fleets through detailed tracking; including individual technicians' performance scores, customer management and automated invoicing systems.
Features
-
Dispatching
-
Booking & Scheduling
-
Basic Agreements & Quotes
-
Customer Management
-
Pricebook & Flat Rate Pricing
Pricing
FieldEdge offers three pricing tiers, tailored for each individual business.
#4. Google Workspace - Best free service dispatch software
If your business is starting out, or you're looking for the cheapest way to support your business, there are a few free options for management via Google’s tools. While these features are available for free as a single user, they do limit a business's ability to reliably scale.
Features
Google offers free features such as:
- Gmail:
- Professional Gmail addresses with your domain name.
- Professional Gmail addresses with your domain name.
- Google Calendar:
- Schedule/manage appointments and dispatch jobs.
- Share calendars to coordinate schedules.
- Receive notifications and reminders for upcoming appointments.
- Google My Business
- Ensure you are able to be found via. Google Maps
- Ensure you are able to be found via. Google Maps
- Google Drive:
- Cloud storage for storing and sharing important documents.
- Edit documents and receive real-time updates.
- Google Sheets:
- Create and manage spreadsheets for tracking service requests, schedules, and inventory.
- Share and collaborate on sheets.
- Google Docs:
- Creating service reports, manuals, and other documentation.
- Track changes made to documents using version history.
- Google Forms:
- Create custom forms for service requests, job orders, or customer feedback.
- Collect and organise data efficiently.
- Google Meet:
- Conduct virtual meetings for remote team members or with customers.
- Share screens and collaborate in real time.
- Google Chat:
- Instant messaging for quick communication between team members.
- Create dedicated channels for specific projects or topics.
- Google Contacts:
- Maintain a centralised contact list for customers, technicians, and other important contacts.
- Maintain a centralised contact list for customers, technicians, and other important contacts.
- Google Sites:
- Build an internal knowledge base or a customer portal for easy access to important information.
While Google Workspace itself is not specifically designed as service dispatch software, the suite of free tools provides a decent foundation for solo operators. However, with the average long-term cost savings from using dedicated service dispatch software, many businesses will make the switch.
4. The importance and benefits of service dispatch software for service businesses
Field service dispatch software is an integral tool for reliable business growth as it improves;
- Operations efficiency: By automating and streamlining various tasks, such as customer management, the software significantly reduces periods of inactivity.
- Productivity: The software plans the best use cases for both resources and processes.
- Improving customer relations: With improved response times and enhanced service quality, the software plays a key role in improving customer satisfaction and fostering loyalty.
- Financial benefits: The efficient management and assignment of jobs by the software contribute to an increase in the number of jobs completed, which accelerates revenue generation and profitability.
- Business insights: The software provides comprehensive visibility into the performance of the business. With better reporting comes a higher chance of making impactful plans for future growth.
5. What to look for in a service dispatch software
Not all service dispatch software offerings are created equal. To find the best one for your business, you should take a few things into consideration.
Ease of use
The service dispatch software you choose should be easy to use for both your office staff and field workers. It should have a user-friendly interface, intuitive navigation, and clear instructions. It should also be compatible with your existing devices, such as computers, tablets, or smartphones.
Customisation
Your service dispatch software should also be customisable to fit your business needs and preferences. It should allow you to create and modify templates & themes for work orders, schedules, invoices, reports, and other documents according to your business requirements or brand goals.
Scaleability
Service dispatch software should be able to handle an increasing number of users, jobs, customers, and data without compromising its performance, reliability, or affordability.
Integrations
Choose service dispatch software that works well with other business tools you use, like accounting, customer management, and email marketing software.
6. Who should use service dispatch software?
Service dispatch software is essential for all businesses that require real-time job tracking and optimisation, and dispatch scheduling for drivers, service workers, tradesmen, or technicians.
It’s also ideal for automating customer notifications and other important business operations in the field service industry. They can become integral tools to help you improve efficiency, productivity, and customer satisfaction.
In other words, it's suitable for any service business that provides on-site services to customers, such as:
- Electricians
- Plumbers
- HVAC technicians
- Gasfitters or gas engineers
- Builders & construction contractors
- Landscapers
- Cleaners
- Any other trade & service business type!
If you run a business in the trades & services industry, using dispatch management software can help to manage your field service operations more efficiently and effectively.
See for yourself with a 14-day free trial of Tradify. You won't regret it!
